Join NEXT15: September 24 & 25

HOW WE WILL LIVE

Alexander Bard – The Internet Revolution

30/05/2012

By Marina Lenz

“The internet is a damn drug and we are on it. Everyone.”

This statement of Alexander Bard at NEXT Berlin 2012 summarises his quite provocative keynote speech best. He talked about the fourth revolution: the internet dramatically changing society, culture and economy. And even though his conclusions sometimes seem obvious, his talk can be compared to a revelation.

As a sociologist, he does not focus on technology, but rather on how we are using it and the paradigm change taking place. His observations are related to every part of our lives, even the most profound: our identity.

According to Bard, we are currently developing from individuals to dividuals having different personalities in the various communities we live in and and channels we’re using. “Congratulations to everyone diagnosed with schizophrenia. You’re the winners.”

Neither business nor communication or relationships are still working the way they used to. Awareness is the capital of the internet age. Ideas are trump. Geographic distances don’t matter anymore. “We live online today.” At NEXT Berlin 2012 this went without saying, but in Bards opinion, some of us still have not grasped the full extent.